Automatic drink vending machine



Feb. 26, 1957' Filed March 11, 1952 R. 1.; RICHTER AUTOMATIC DRINK VENDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet J.

Feb. 26, 1957' R. L. RICHTER 10 AUTOMATIC DRINK VENDING MACHINE Filed March 11. 1952 .7 Sheets-Sheet 2 24: x. b wwgw Feb. 26, 1957 R. RICHTER AUTOMATIC DRINK VENDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March' 11. 1952 w z. W

Feb. 26, 1957 R. RICHTER 2,782,310

AUTOMATIC DRINK VENDING MACHINE Filed March 1;. 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 26, 1957 Filed March 11. 1952 R. L. RICHTER AUTOMATIC DRINK VENDING MACHINE 2a. m @QMJ 7 Sheets-Shet 5 Feb. 26, 1957 R. L. RICHTER AUTOMATIC DRINK VENDING MACHINE Filed March 11. 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Feb. 26, 1957 R. RICHTER 2,782,810

' AUTOMATIC DRINK VENDING MACHINE Filed March 11. 1952 7 Shee ts-Sheet 7 ilm'd W AUTOMATIC DRHYK VENDING MACHINE Robert L. Richter, Stockholm, Sweden 7 Application March 11, 1952, Serial No. 275,999

28 Claims. (Cl. 141-174) This invention relates to automatic drink vending machines of the kind in which after deposition of one or more coins a certain quantity of a beverage contained in the machine is filled into a paper cup, a plurality of which are stored in the machine a dispensing device being arranged to make the filled cup accessible for the buyer but which will prevent interfering with the inside mechanisms of the machine.

A machine for the purpose described has to fill a great many requirements. It must be unfailing in operation, insensible to temperature variations and resistant against violence, and it must defy attempts to steal its contents. All these requirements are filled by the vending machine according to the invention. Moreover this vending machine complies with the very strict hygienic regulations which are enforced in some countries and places.

The automatic drink vending machine according to the invention is characterized in that a horizontally displaceable cup receiver which is open at the top and the front will receive an empty cup from a cup magazine in its one extreme end position and will keep said cup below a metering device in its other extreme end position and on returning to its first-mentioned end position will make the filled cup accessible through an aperture, and in that a closure member which is actuated by the opening of a door which normally covers said aperture will be brought in below the cup magazine to prevent the access thereto.

This vending machine is especially notable by the absence of tube ducts this being extremely advantageous when milk for instance is to be sold. No residue can remain in any tubings where it otherwise would very easily become contaminated. This has been made possible by the displaceable arrangement of the cup receiver between two end positions.

Other features and advantages will be disclosed hereinafter reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a perspective view of an automatic drink vending machine;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the door opened and certain parts being broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the mechanism proper on a larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation as seen in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 3 and with certain parts removed;

Fig. 5 is a similar side elevation as seen in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view with certain parts removed and other shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the mechanism provided at the inner side of the door;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line VIII--VIII in Fig. 7.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the housing of the machine is designated with numeral 1. The housing is cupboard-shaped, and has a front door 2 pivoted on hinges 3. A lock 4 is provided for locking the door.

tates Patent 6 The door extends across the upper part of the housing front down to a horizontal partition 5 which divides the housing in an upper larger and a lower smaller portion. In the lower portion an aperture 6 is provided for used paper cups. The interior of that portion can be made accessible in any suitable way in order to clear out the used cups and other waste.

The upper part of the housing is covered by a roof and contains the essential part of the sundry mechanisms which are necessary for the functioning of the machine, while certain cooperating devices are attached to the door 2.

In said door a plurality of apertures are provided of which an upper aperture 7 which is covered with safety glass serves as an inspection window for a cup magazine which is situated behind and opposite said window.

Directly beneath the window 7 a further aperture 8 is provided for taking out the filled cup. The aperture 3 has a shutter 9 which is displaceable in a vertical direction. The shutter 9 substantially consists of safety glass or the like and is provided with handle means 9a which tering device 20.

are extending outwards. Directly to the left of aperture 8 a substantially equally large aperture 10 is provided which also is covered with safety glass or the like.

The filling of the cups can be observed through aperture 10, and the cups can subsequently be extracted through aperture 8.

Beneath apertures 8 and 10 a horizontally disposed slot 11 is provided in the door a control handle 12 extending therethrough.

In the door some smaller apertures are further provided of which the uppermost one, 13, is disposed opposite the coin chute. Beneath said aperture another aperture 14a for a push button 14 is provided and beneath the latter there is provided an outlet 15 for rejected coins.

The essential mechanism of the machine is disposed opposite the door 2 (see Fig. 2). In the upper left hand corner of the housing there is provided a compartment which is walled in by the housing on three sides, by a floor 16 at the bottom and by an inner wall 17 at one side. At the front of said compartment a hinged door 18 is provided. The compartment walls are preferably temperature insulated in order to keep constant the temperature of a container 19 which is disposed in the compartment and contains the beverage to be sold.

The container 19 is provided at the bottom with a me- Said metering device has actuating means 21 for cooperation with a mechanism part. The metering device can be of a known kind, and shall not be more closely described. Its functioning is briefly as follows: When the actuating means 21 is urged, by an upwardly directed force, a valve will release a certain quantity of the beverage which flows down in a paper cup which is disposed beneath the device. When the force acting on the means 21 ceases the metering device will be replenished with an equal large quantity of liquid from the container 19.

When cool beverages are to be sold, an ice box may be placed on top of the container 19, whereas when selling hot drinks, an extra insulation or an electrical heating device may be substituted.

In the floor 16 of the container compartment an opening for the accommodation of the metering device is provided.

In order "to facilitate the removing and replacing of the container this opening is made to extend to the front edge of the floor. into the front part of the opening a detachable piece 16a can be inserted.

A money box 23 with a coin aperture 24 is placed on partition 5 beneath the coin device of the machine.

Directly above partition 5 two horizontallyextending beams 25 are provided which support the mechanism proper.

Said mechanism (see Figs. 3-6) is constructed upon a frame which essentially consists of a base member 26 which member is secured to the beams 25 by means of bolts 27. A pedestal 28 is integral with the base plate and has a relatively large flat surface at the top which serves for the attachment of sundry parts.

Thus three vertical pillars 29 of equal length are secured to the top of pedestal 28. Said pillars commonly support an angle iron 36 which is formed after an irregular curve extending in a horizontal plane. A plate 31 is secured to the angle iron 30 and supports a substantially cylindrically shaped cup magazine 32. Said cup magazine is situated opposite apertures 7 and 8 in the door 2 when the latter is shut.

The cup magazine 32 has a flange 33. Said flange has four equally spaced holes in which the bottom. ends of rods 34 are fitted. The upper ends of said rods are fitted into bushings 35 which are secured to the roof of the housing. The rods 34 serve as guide members for the cups in the cup magazine. In order to facilitate the charging with fresh cups one rod is made easily detachable.

The cup magazine 32 has a flange 36 directly above its middle part which flange abuts the plate 31. In. said plate an aperture is provided for the downwardly extending part of the cup magazine.

Below and facing the cup magazine 32 a hood 37 opens at the bottom and the front is secured to pedestal 28. The top of said hood is disposed at a certain distance from the bottom of the cup magazine and has a circular opening for the passage of the cups. When the door 2 is shut, the front edges 38 of hood 37 are close to a frame 39 which surrounds aperture 8 in the door. The hood 37 at its left hand bottom end is extended by a horizontal plate 40, the front edge 41 of which extends flush with the edges 38 of the hood.

The shutter 9 in the door 2 on both sides has a vertical cylindrical rod 42. The height of rods 42 substantially corresponds to twice the height of the shutter itself, and the rods thus extend beyond the upper edge of the shutter. The top ends of the rods are connected by means of a cross member 43 one end of which is extended and connected -to a piston rod 44. At the other end of said piston rod a piston is provided which is arranged for displacement in a vertically disposed hydraulic cylinder 45 which is placed at one side of the aperture 8.

The upper cross member 39a of the. frame 39 (see Figs. 7, 8) has snugly fitting bores. for the rods 42, and the latter are further guided in corresponding bores inna bar 46 which is secured to the door some distance above aperture 8. The shutter 9 can be moved upwards and downwards guided by the rods 42 and can permit a limited access to. the inside of the machine. The movement of the shutter is damped by the hydraulic device the damping characteristics of which can be adjusted in a desired manner.

In order to prevent the access to the cup magazine 32 when shutter 9 is completely or partially open, a horizontally disposed closure member 47 is pivoted about a pin 48 secured to the upper cross member 3911 of frame 39. Close to the pin 48 an upright boss 49 is provided on the plate. Said boss engages an elongated slot 50 in a one-armed-lever 51 which is pivoted about a pivot 52 at the upper cross piece 39a. At the other side of slot 50 the lever has a horizontally extending projection 53 which engages a guide slot 54 in a vertically extending bar 55. The slot 54 has an upper vertical portion 56- and an oblique portion '7, and is continued by one outer edge of bar 55. The bar 55 is secured at the top to the cross member 43 and has a further straight slot 58 in which engages a pin 59 extending from the side of the frame 39. When the shutter 9 is situated in its shut bottom position the projection 53 engages the upper vertical portion 56 of the guide slot 54. The correspondingposition of the lever 51 is such that the closure member 47 is swung aside. When the shutter is elevated the projection 53 slides along the oblique part 57 of the slot. The lever 51 will then be actuated and through the engagement between the latter and the boss 49 the closure member 47 will be actuated to move into the space between the cup magazine 32 and hood 37 the passage therebetween thus being obstructed. When the shutter is elevated further the outer edge of bar 55 will slide along the boss 53 and will thus prevent access to the cup magazine 32 as long as the shutter is open. When closing the shutter the course of events is reversed, and the closure member 47 is moved aside therethrough leaving free passage for the cups while at the same time the cup magazine is not accessible from aperture 8, since the shutter will prevent that.

A frame structure 68 is attached to the pedestal. 23 by means of a bracket 61. Said frame structure is disposed in a vertical plane parallel to the door 2, and is further secured to the base member 26 by means of a projection 62 of. the latter.

The frame structure 60 extends beyond the base member 26 at the left hand side. The top and bottom members 63 and. 64 of said frame structure are provided with vertical flanges 65 and 66 respectively.

The upper flange 65 serves as a roller track for rollers 67 provided with peripheral guide grooves and arranged for rotation on shafts 63 secured to a vertical plate 69. Said plate is the principal moving part of the machine and is recessed as at 76, 76 near its bottom edge which recesses are bridged by vertical shafts 71. Each shaft 71 supports a rotatable roller 72 which engages the bottom frame member 64. The plate 69 thus is supported by the rollers 67 and '72, and can be displaced along the frame structure 66.

At the right hand front side of the plate 69 a boss 73 is provided which serves as an anchor for a wire rope 74 or the like. Said rope is guided by a guide roller 75 which is suported by a bolt 76 at the right hand end of the frame structure 60. A weight 77 is attached to the free end of rope '74 and urges the plate 69 to the right.

Tothe left hand front side of plate 63 (see Fig. 3) a receiver 78 is attached the lower part 79 of which is funnel-shaped for receiving a paper cup 22. The top of said funnel extends into a compartment which is open at the front and at the top. The front edges 80 of said compartment are flush with the front edges 33 of the hood 37. At the right hand side of receiver 73 a plate 81 is disposed which is flush with the front edges 80 and completely. covers. the aperture 8 in the door 2 in the extreme left position of the plate 69.

At the rear side of plate 69 (see Fig. 6) two bosses 82, 83 are provided, one close to each end of the plate. The purpose of these bosses will be explained later on. A bracket member 84 also is provided at the rear side of plate 69. The forked end 85 of a horizontally extending piston rod 86 is pivoted about said bracket by means of a bolt 87. Said piston rod carries a piston which is disposed in a cylinder 88. Said cylinder is pivoted about a second bracket member 89 at its outer end. Said second bracket member is (as seen from the rear in Fig. 6) secured to the righthand end of the frame structure 6%, and the cylinder can pivot in a vertical plane about a bolt 90.' Through this arrangement there is no danger of the piston jamming'in the cylinder. At its outer end the cylinder is provided with a small hole communicating with the atmosphere. The purpose of this device is to damp the velocity of plate 69 pneumatically when said plate is pulled back by the weight 77.

A rail 92 is longitudinally displaceable along studs 91 secured to, the upper front part of the pedestal '28 by means of an elongated slot 93 engaging said studs. Said rail is disposedabove and parallel to the plate 69 and is provided close to its left hand end (as seen from the front) with a downward projection 94' and directly to the left thereof a downwards extending pin 95.

At its right hand end rail 92 has a lug for attaching a wire rope 97 or the like which is guided by a guide roller 98 rotatably disposed on a bolt 99 which is secured to a projecting part of pedestal 23. Beyond the guide roller the rope is directed upwards and is attached to a tension spring 100 which is connected to the roof of the housing.

The spring urges the rail 92 to move to the right i. e. to its starting rest position.

The upper edge of the rail 92 is shaped as a rack with teeth 101. Said teeth engage a gear 102 arranged for rotation on a shaft 103. Said shaft is supported in a bracket 104 which is secured to the top of pedestal 28. The gear 102 engages a larger gear 105 secured to a shaft 106 which is disposed in bearings in end pieces 107, 108 which are secured to the top of pedestal 28. Between said end pieces a further gear 109 is arranged for rotation on shaft 106 and said gear being substantially of the same size as gear 105 and at one side pivotally supporting a latch member 111 by means of a pin 110. Said latch member is kept in engagement with a circular disc 112, secured to shaft 106, by means of a spring (not shown). At the circumference of disc 112 two diametrically opposite recesses 113 are provided in which the latch member 11 can engage when gear 109 rotates relatively to disc 112. The latch member and the recesses are shaped in such a way that disc 112 only can drive gear 109 in one rotational direction of shaft 106 by means of latch member 111, and rather in that direction which corresponds to the displacement of the rail 92 to the right in Fig. 3, i. e. back to the rest position. That corresponds to the clockwise rotation of gear 109.

The shaft 106 extends beyond the rear end piece 108 and carries a sector-shaped cam disc 114 at its end which is secured to the shaft by means of a hub 115. Said cam disc is provided with a dog member 116 which engages a slot 117 provided in a second cam disc 118. Said cam disc is rotatably disposed outside of cam disc 114, is likewise sector-shaped and has a greater radius and a greater thickness than cam disc 114. Owing to the length of slot 11'? cam disc 118 can move angularly relatively to cam disc 114. Close to one end of the circular edge of cam disc 11% a shallow recess 110a is provided.

The gear 109 engages a smaller gear 119 which is disposed on a shaft 120. A larger gear 121 is rigidly connected to gear 119 and engages a further small gear 122 which latter is secured to a shaft 124 and is situated close to a larger gear 123. The shaft 124 is supported in hearings in the end pieces 107, 108. The gear 123 has helical teeth and engages a vertically disposed worm member 125 which is supported by the shanks of a fork memher 120 which is secured to the rear end piece 108. Said worm member is provided with wings 127 at its upper end said wings on the actuation of the whole gear mechanism by the rail 92 serving as an air brake when the rail moves to the right under the influence of the spring 100, whereby the return velocity of the rail will be restricted to a substantially constant and moderate size.

At the rear of the machine a vertically disposed shaft 123 is supported in hearings in the base member 26 and an extending part of the pedestal 28. An arm 129 is pivoted around said shaft and extends to the front beyond the base member 26 its extreme end being provided with the operating handle 12. A tension spring 130 is attached to said arm its other end being secured to a lug at the base member 26. Said spring tends to urge arm 12.) back to its rest position (to the right in Fig. 1) into engagement with a stationary fork-shaped abutment 131 which is secured to the machine frame (see Fig. 3).

The arm 129 is provided with a latch device comprising a latch member 132 which is pivoted on a shaft 134 supported by a fork-shaped member 133. Said member is secured to the bottom side of the arm, and the latch member132 has an angularly bent lower portion which prevents the latch member't'o be swung aside in one direction (clock-wise in Fig. 3) by abutting the bottom side of the arm. A leaf spring 135 is disposed normally to hold the latch member 132 in an upright position. When meeting a resistance from the other direction the latter can however, be swung aside (counterclockwise in Fig. 3).

Directly above the arm 129 a second arm 136 is secured to shaft 128. The arm 136 at its free end has a hori- Zontally disposed abutment screw 137 which can cooperate with a dog member 138 which is secured to the right hand bottom end of the receiver 79. By this arrangement the receiver and the plate 69 will be moved to the left on rocking the arm to the left.

The arm 136 further is provided with a vertically disposed axially displaceable bolt 139 shaped with a head at its top. A compression spring 140 is mounted between said head and the top side of arm 136 and tends to urge said bolt upwards. A transverse groove 141 is provided in the bolt, and a fiat lever 143 can engage said groove with one end and can then lock the bolt against axial displacement, said lever being pivoted at the bottom side of the arm 136 around a pivot 142. The locked position of the bolt is adjusted in such a way that the projecting end of the bolt will then be disposed in the travel path of the latch member 132. When the bolt is released it is moved out of said travel path by the spring 140.

The other end of the lever 143 has an upwards directed boss 144 which serves as an anchor for a tension spring 145, the other end of which is attached to the arm 136. Said spring tends to retain the end of lever 143 in engagement with the groove 141 in the bolt 139 thus keeping the latter in its lower, active position.

At the rear side of the lower flange 66 of the frame structure 60 a horizontally disposed toothed segment 146 with symmetrically triangular teeth is secured (Figs. 5 and 6). The teeth are disposed along a curve which corresponds to the angular path of the arm 136, and a latch member 147 which is pivoted about a pin 148 at the top side of the arm can engage said teeth. When the arm 136 is situated in its rest position (extreme right hand position) the latch member 147 is disposed beyond the corresponding extreme end of the tooth segment. When the arm is rocked the latch member will snap in between the teeth and is slid along the latter but does not prevent the movement. However, the latch member will prevent the moving back of the arm 136 before it has passed the whole tooth segment, and until the latch member is brought beyond the other end of the segment. A tension spring 149 is suspended between the rear end of the latch memberand a projection of arm 136, and strives to keep the latch member in a neutral position causing the latch member to engage the teeth on displacement of the arm.

When the latch member 147 is brought out of engagement with the tooth segment at the last part of the movement of the arm 136 from its normal position to its other end position, and the movement is to be reversed, the latch member is swung aside through engagement with the end of the tooth segment. Its rear end will then engage the boss 144, and the latch member thus moves the lever 143 aside whereby the opposite end of the latter will lose its engagement with the groove 141 in the bolt 139. The spring force on said bolt then will urge the latter to its upper inactive position.

Through the arrangement described the possibility of interfering with the functioning of the vending machine by means of the arm 129 and its actuating handle 12 is thus eliminated.

Above the arm 136 and parallel thereto a further arm 150 is secured to the shaft 123. The arm 150 consequently is brought along in the movement of the arm 136. The arm 150 has a fork-shaped end member 151 the shanks of which engage the pin 95 at the rail 92 at both sides. Said rail thus will be displaced on movement of the arm assembly.

The arm 136 at its top side has a shorter arm 152 which is disposed substantially parallel to the main portion of arm 136. The top side of arm 152 cooperates with a latch member 153 which is pivoted in a vertical plane around a bolt 154:: secured to a boss 154 at the top side of the lower member 64 of the frame structure 60.

The latch member 153' substantially is shaped as a two-armed lever. One lever arm 154b is larger and heavier than the other 155, and its bottom edge is shaped as a convex curve 156 the lowest point of which normally abuts frame member 64 on account of the heaviness of the portion 154b, the lever then resting in a substantially horizontal position. At the end of said larger lever arm an upwards extending portion 157 is provided which has a lateral wedge-shaped projection 158 the edge of which is directed upwards, and which has an inwardly facing flat surface 159. Said surface can cooperate with the boss 82 in the starting position of plate 69 in order to prevent the displacement of said plate without using handle 12. When, however, handle 12 by means of the arm 129 brings along arm 136, the arm 152 secured to the latter will elevate the lever arm 15% through cooperation with the curve 156 whereby the projection 158 is moved out of the travel path of the boss 82. When the plate 69 after gaining its other end position is returned to its starting position, the boss 2 can move past projection 158 which is elevated above boss 82 thanks to its Wedge shape. Hereafter latch member 153 drops into its normal position and will lock plate 69 afresh.

The lever arm has a projection which is similar to projection 158 and is intended for a similar cooperation with the boss 83 at the rear side of plate 69. Therethrough is attained that the plate cannot be pulled back by the weight 77 in the filling position of the cup before the filling is finished. The latch member 153 also in this instance is released through actuating the arm 152 which will elevate the lever arm 155 on the return movement of arm 136 owing to the fact that it will engage the other part of curve 156 whereby the projection 160 is swung downwards and will permit the passage of boss 85.

In order to facilitate the moving back of plate 69 from its actuated end position, i. e. the filling position for the cup, a leaf spring 161 is secured to the left hand end of the frame structure 60. Said spring resiliently engages the side of receiver 78, and strives to aid the weight 77 at the start of the return movement.

In order to prevent that plate 69 will be reversed at its return movement through any interference from the outside, a projection 162 is provided at the rear side of the plate and cooperates with the projection 94 of rail 92. Said rail is prevented from being moved back during the return movement through the described arrangement with the tooth segment 146 and the latch member 147. Thus the return movement of said rail and the plate controlled by the rail cannot begin before the rail and the plate have attained their extreme left position.

At the top left hand corner of the frame structure 60 a bracket member 163 is secured to the flange 65. Said bracket ha upwards extending portions 164 which support a shaft 165 rotatably disposed therein. Said shaft at both ends extends beyond the bracket, and carries a fork-shaped member 166 secured to its forward end, the both shanks of which each are provided with an axially adjustable abutment screw 167 which can be locked by means of nuts 168. The screw 167 are brought into engagement with the actuating means 21 of the metering device 20 on rocking of shaft 165 whereby the filling of a cup is actuated.

The opposite end of shaft 165 is located closely to the rear portion 164 by means of a locking ring 169. Beyond the latter an arm 170 is pivoted on the shaft. Said arm is substantially Z-shaped and has a. hub 171 with an axially disposed recess. A cotter pin 172- which penetrates the shaft radially extends through said recess which has a somewhat greater width than the pin. By this arrangement arm 170 gains a limited freedom of movement relatively to the shaft. The pin further serves to lock the arm 170 axially in one direction, and a locking ring secured to the end of the shaft locates the arm in the opposite direction. Between the free end of the pin 172 and arm 170 a tension spring 174 is suspended. Herethrough the free arm is kept engaged with an abutment member 175 secured to the pedestal 28.

At its free end arm 170 is provided with a roller 177 pivoted about a pin 176. Said arm can engage the cam discs 114 and 118 on the shaft 106. When rail 92 is moved to the left on actuation of handle 12 shaft 106 is rotated by the gear transmission. The arm 170 which engaged the abutment member 175 in its starting position will be progressively elevated as the roller 177 is engaged by the straight edges of the cam discs. When the rail 92 has attained its left hand end position the roller will climb the circular portion of cam disc 118. That is made possible therethrough that the projection 94 of rail 92 moves a latch member 179 aside. Said latch member is pivoted to the upper frame flange 65 by means of a pivot 180. The latch member 179 has a projection 181 at its top which projection normally will retain a lateral projection 182 of an arm 183 which is secured to the shaft 165. The engagement is maintained by a tension spring 184, which connects the latch member 179' and a projection of the flange 65.

When the rail 92 approaches its extreme left hand position the projection 94 will displace the latch member 179 through cooperation with a lateral projection 185 on said latch member. The arm 170 thus will be released and can climb to the circular portion of the cam disc 118. Simultaneously shaft 165 and the fork-shaped member 116 are swung to engage the actuating means 21 of the metering device 20 under influence of spring 174.

At the beginning of the return movement of rail 92 which is actutaed by spring 100 the arm 170 first will rest in its upper position, and the roller 177 rests in the shallow recess 118a that which will enable the cup to be filled at the right moment. In the meantime the inner cam disc 114 is driven by shaft 106, the dog member 116 after a certain angular movement abutting the end of slot 117 in cam disc 118 thus bringing the latter along. The roller 177 with the arm 170 drops down against the straight edges of the cam discs, the fork-shaped member 166 thus going down to inactive position. The metering device is shut off, and the latch member 179 will come into fresh engagement with the lateral projection 182 of the arm 183. A lateral projection 179a of latch member 179 serves as an abutment for the latch member 179 in its rest position in cooperation with a projection 17% of the flange 65.

In order to initiate the operating cycle of the vending machine the deposition of one or more coins into the machine is necessary. The coin mechanism will be briefly described below.

To the front of the angle iron 30 a plate 186 is secured, a coin slot 187 being provided at the top thereof. At the rear side of the plate a retaining device 188 for rejected coins or substitutes is provide-d. A magnet 189 will retain iron objects. The rejected coins are guided through suitable mechanisms along a guiding device 199 to a coin chute 15 on actuation of the push button 14.

The accepted coins slide through an intake 191 at the upper portion of a tube 192 with a right angle cross sectional shape. The tube is attached to a bracket member 193 which is secured to the base member 26 and the pedestal 28. The tube extends downwards to the lower edge of base member 26 and is situated above the coin chute 24 of the money box 23.

Before the coin can penetrate thus far it is however, stopped by a screw 194 which is threaded into one of two holes- 196 which are provided in a bar member 195.

The bar member 195 is pivoted to the top part of the tube 192 by means of a bracket member 197 and hangs close thereto in its rest position. The screw 194 then extends through apertures in the tube wall which are provided opposite the holes 196 in the bar member 195. By this arrangement the free passage of the coins is obstructed by the screw 194.

The push button 14 is attached to the end of a rod member 198 which is axially displaceable in a bracket 199 secured to the upper part of the tube 192. A compression spring 200 disposed between the bracket 199 and a lock ring 201 at the rod tends to move the push button outwards. The apertures in the tube wall are disposed at such a level relatively to the rod member 198 that the free end of the latter will be situated opposite 'a coin when the latter is arrested by the screw 194.

In order to locate the coin accurately opposite the end of rod member 198 it will be necessary to drop two or only one coin of the proper denomination into the coin slot, depending on if the screw 194 is screwed into the upper or lower hole 196 in bar member 195. On actuating the push button the coin will be moved inwards and will actuate one end of a spring-urged lever 202 which is pivoted in a vertical plane about a stud at the bracket member 193. The displacement of the coin is made possible by the provision of a corresponding aperture at the rear well of the tube 192. The upper part of the lever 202 will move to the rear on pushing the button, and the lower part accordingly moves outwards and is thus removed out of the travel path of a projection 203 of a cross member 204 which is integral with a lever 205 which is pivoted to the upper part of pedestal 28 by means of a stud 206 at the frame structure 60 and can move in a vertical plane parallel to said frame structure. The lever 205 is urged by a tension spring 207 which tends to rock the lever counter-clockwise (see Fig. 2) when the lower part of lever 202 is swung aside as mentioned above. A boss 208 provided at the bottom end of lever 205 will then engage the bolt 139 of the arm 136 which is kept in position through the engagement between the end of the lever 143 and the groove 141 in said bolt. Simultaneously a projection 209 provided at the extreme end of member 204 moves aside an arm 210 secured to the bar member 195. Herethrough the screw 194 is brought out of the travel path of the coin or coins which consequently continue their travel through tube 192 to the money box 23.

The upper member of lever 205 is connected to a projection 211 of a slide member 212 by means of an elongated slot therein. Said slide member can slide along the plate 31 and is guided on the plate by means of slots provided in the slide member (not shown) and studs 213a, extending from the plate and engaging said slots.

The slide member 212 has bracket members 213 which are situated opposite diametrically disposed recesses 214 in the cup magazine 32 in the normal position of the slide member. The bracket members 215 have inwards facing ribs 215, 216 which serve for retaining the lowest and next lowest cup respectively.

When the push button 14 is actuated after depositing one or more coins the lever 205 is rocked counterclockwise by means of the mechanisms described above. The slide member 212 then is displaced to the left, and oblique grooves provided at the inside of the cup magazine will release the bottom cup.

In order to return lever 205 and the cooperating means to the start position the cross member 204 is extended to the left and provided with a boss 217 at its extreme end. Said boss engages a cam member 218 provided at the plate 69. The cam member is so disposed that on return movement of plate 69 to starting position the lever 205 is rocked clockwise whereby also slide member 212 is brought back to inactive position.

in order to shut off the vending machine when the paper cups are used up a weight 219 is disposed on top of the cup pile. Said weight aetuates an arm 220 on release of the last cup which arm 'is pivoted to a pillar 221 secured to the angle iron 30. T he'arm 220 at the other end has a perpendicularly disposed, downwards extending arm 222 which normally is retained in the travel path of an angularly bent plate 224 which is provided with a recess for the coin slot 187. A tension spring 223 suspended between the arm 220 and the angle iron 30 retains the arm in position. The other leg of the plate 224 is slidably disposed on the angle iron 30 by means of a guide slot and studs 225 engaging therewith. Said lastmentioned leg has a projection 226 which engages the end of arm 222, and a tension spring (not shown) tends to displace the plate 224 to cover the coin slot. This is prevented by the arm 222 until the weight 219 pushes down the other end of arm 220 whereafter the plate is brought along to cover the coil slot through the spring force.

Through the disposition of frame 39 surrounding the aperture 8 in the door 2 close to the front edges of the receiver 78, 79, the cover plate 81 secured at the same level, the front edges of hood 37, and the plate 40 horizontally extending from the latter, the inside of the vending machine is at all times and all positions of receiver 78, 79 inaccessible from the aperture 8. In order to prevent the actuation of the bolt 139 in the arm 136, for instance by inserting a tool through slot 11, a plate 227 is secured far down to the side of receiver 79 or more exactly to the abutment 138, said plate in the rest position of the machine obstructing the free passage between said slot and said bolt.

In order briefly to recapitulate the operation of the vending machine it is as follows:

When one or more coins of the proper denomination are dropped through the coin slot 187 and drop against the screw 194 in the upper part of tube 192, and the push button 14 is actuated the lever 202 is rocked aside through the cooperation of the coin and will release the springurged lever 205. The upper member of the latter moves the slide member 212 to release the lowest cup in the cup magazine 32. The released cup drops into the receiver 79. Simultaneously the projection 208 of lever 205 will push down the bolt 139 into active position in which it is retained by the lever 143 on the arm 136. By moving the handle 12 to the left arms 136 and are moved along through the engagement between the latch member 132 and the bolt 139. The arm 136 displaces the plate 69 supporting the receiver 79 to the left into a position facing the metering device 20 through the cooperation between the abutment screw 137 and the abutment 138. Through engagement between boss 217 of the lever 205 and the cam member 218 at plate 69 the lever 205 and slide memher 212 will simultaneously be brought back to inactive position, and moreover the bolt 139 is released by its retaining device and returns to inactive position. Simultaneously with said developments the rail 92 is moved to the left by arm 150 whereby the shaft 106 on its rotation actuates the cam discs 114, 118 attached thereto to rock the arm 170 whereby the member 166 which cooperates with the actuating means 21 of the metering device 20 causes the latter to fill a certain quantity of the beverage into the cup.

Immediately after the rail 92 has attained its extreme left position the spring 100 begins to move back rail 92 by means of the rope 97. The velocity of said movement is limited by the pneumatic damper so that plate 69 with receiver 79 and cup 22 will remain in the end position for a sufiicient length of time. On the return movement of rail 92 the arm 170 is actuated by the cam discs 114, 118 on shaft 106 to move member 166 to inactive position, the matering device 20 thus being shut off. Not until rail 92 has completed part of its return movement is the plate 69 released therethrough that the projection of the latch member 153 is moved out of engagement with the boss 83 on the plate through cooperation with member 152 of the arm 136, the lat ter being moved back simultaneously with the return I1 movement of the. rail 92. Not until this engagement has ceased can the weight 77 pull plate 69 with receiver 79 which contains the filled cup back to a position fac' ing the aperture 8 in door 2. The filled cup can now be removed after opening the shutter 9, and the venting machine is ready for a fresh operating cycle.

As the cup magazine can obtain a certain number of cups, and the container is charged with a liquid quantity which corresponds to the total quantity to be filled into the cups, one need never be afraid that the cups will be used up before the beverage is finished since these contingencies will occur simultaneously. A special shuttingofi device which should come into operation when the beverage is finished will thus be unnecessary. The mechanism which is actuated on release of the last cup and obstructs the coin slot thus will be sufiicient.

Many modifications of the described and illustrated vending machine are possible without going beyond the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic drink vending machine of the kind in which after deposition of one or more coins a certain quantity of a beverage contained in the machine is filled into a paper cup, said machine comprising a housing containing a magazine for cups, a beverage container disposed laterally of said magazine, a metering device at the lower discharge end of said beverage container for discharging a measured quantity of the beverage, a cup receiver movable reciprocably between an end position beneath a cup release opening in said magazine so as to receive a cup therefrom and an end position beneath the discharge point of said metering device, means for releasing a cup from said magazine into said cup receiver, means for moving said cup receiver between its two positions, said housing including an aperture providing access to said cup receiver when in the position beneath said cup magazine, a shutter normally closing said aperture, said shutter being openable by the user, a closure member coupled to said shutter and actuated thereby into a position blocking ofi the cup discharge opening in said magazine when said shutter is opened, and a plate member movable with said cup receiver into a position covering said aperture when said cup receiver occupies its end position beneath said metering device.

2. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 1 and which further includes a hood member obstructing the passage to the back and to the sides, said hood member being disposed below the cup magazine and having a passage at its top for cups and which further serves as an extension upwards from the receiver when the latter is disposed in its extreme end position below said cup magazine.

3. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is secured to a plate which is displaceable with the aid of rollers along a stationary guide and support means.

4. An automatic drink venting machine according to claim 1 wherein the coupling between said shutter and magazine closure member comprises a rail member having a slot and being attached to said shutter, said slot engaging the end of a lever which lever will rock said closure member to the one or other side in dependence of the direction of movement of said shutter.

5. An automatic drink venting machine according to claim 1 wherein the means for moving said receiver between its two end positions includes a plate displaceable with the aid of rollers along a stationary guide and support means, an abutment member secured to the displaceabie system and dog means cooperable therewith.

6. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the dog means comprise levers which can be actuated by means of actuating-means.

' 7. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the actuating means is attached to one of said levers which is provided with dog means active in one displacement direction of the lever.

8. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim '7, wherein the dog means can cooperate with an abutment means provided at the other lever and being movable into the travel path of said dog means.

9. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 8, wherein the abutment means comprise an axially displaceable bolt which can be moved into active positicn by a projection of a lever.

10. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 9, wherein said lever is spring-urged and is retained in its inactive position against the force of the spring by means of a projection engaging another spring-urged lever.

ll. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 10, wherein the lever has a further projection which can cooperate with a guide curve at the plate the displacement of the latter from the starting position being eifective to move the lever to inactive position.

12. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 11 wherein said lever is cooperable with a slide member effecting release of a cup from said magazine upon actuation of said lever.

13. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 8 wherein the lever has a latch member which can cooperate with a stationary tooth segment which latch member on actuation of the lever prevents reverse movement of the latter until said latch member is disposed outside any end of said tooth segment the length of which is so adjusted that the extreme end positions of said lever correspond to the receiver being disposed beneath the cup magazine and the metering device respectively.

14. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 13, wherein the lever carries a second lever pivoted thereto, one end of which engages a groove in a bolt so that the latter will be retained in its active position or be moved out of engagement respectively, and the bolt will return to inactive position in dependence thereof that the latch member at the beginning movement of the lever engages the one or other end of the tooth segment with its one or other face whereby said lever at the end position corresponding to the receiver being opposite the cup magazine will not be prevented to retain the bolt in active position by said latch member by the influence of a resilient member, and at the end position of the lever corresponding to the receiver being opposite the metering device can be actuated by the latch member against the urge of said resilient member of lastmentioned lever out of engagement with the groove in the bolt the bolt then being released to its inactive position.

15. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 1 wherein said cup receiver is carried by a slidable plate and the means for moving said plate and receiver with a cup filled at said metering device back to the position beneath said cup magazine is comprised of: a weight connected by rope means to said plate.

16. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 14, wherein the lever is rigidly connected to a second lever by means of a shaft member which second lever is pivoted to rack shaped rail member disposed parallel to the plate and displaceable along stud members by means of a slot provided therein, means being provided to return said rail member to its inactive position.

17. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 16, wherein the said means comprise a spring which is connected to a stationary part of the machine by means of a rope means or the like.

18. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 17, wherein a gear mechanism which can cooperate with the tooth of the rail comprises a gear which is actuated on returning of said rail to its starting position by a latch mechanism which will act only in one direction, the gear engaging the first of a series of transmission gears that of the gear shafts turning with the arsasto 13 greatest velocity carrying wing-shaped means or the like which serve as an air brake for controlling the return movement of said rail to its starting position.

19. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 18, wherein a shaft is driven by the rail and carries a rigidly connected cam disc with a dog member and a further larger cam disc arranged for rotation thereon which lastmentioned disc has an elongated slot engaging the dog member, said cam discs being substantially shaped as circular sectors, and the larger one close to the extremity of its circular periphery having a shallow recess.

20. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 19, wherein a lever can engage said cam discs, and one extremity of which has a projection engaging the cam discs and the other extremity of which is pivoted about a shaft which in its turn is pivoted about a stationary part of the mechanism.

21. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 20, wherein said shaft has a rigidly connected means which will engage actuating means of the metering device on rocking of said shaft.

22. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 20, wherein a hub disposed on lever and pivoted about the shaft has a recess through which a substantially radially disposed projection from said shaft having a less diameter than the recess extends, which projection is connected to said lever by means of a resilient means said lever thus having a limited freedom of movement relatively to said shaft but is urged by the resilient means to be retained in a certain position relatively to said shaft in order to press the projection at the other extremity of said lever against said cam discs.

23. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 22, wherein theshaft has a rigidly connected. arm having a projection which is actuated by an extending portion of a spring-urged latch member to retain the shaft in a position which corresponds to the means for actuating the metering device not being actuated.

24. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 23, wherein the rail has a projection which can cooperate with a projection of the latch member when the rail is situated near its end position wherethrough said latch member will be released, and the shaft will be made to rock the means upwards in order to actuate the metering device through the resilient connection between the radial projection of the shaft and the lever.

25. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 24, wherein the projection of the lever engaging the cam discs can engage the shallow recess in one cam disc and rest therein during a length of time corresponding to the travel of the dog member of the other cam disc along the slot in order to enable the metering device to fill the cup.

26. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 1 wherein said cup receiver is carried by a slidable plate and the means for moving said plate and cup receiver to a position beneath said metering device includes a lever having an extending portion which can cooperate with curve-shaped members of a latch means being pivoted about a stationary part, said latch member having abutments which lock the plate in either end position thereof through engagement with projections of said plate, until the lever and its cooperating parts have moved the necessary distance, and have actuated the latch means to release said plate.

27. An automatic drink vending machine according to claim 1 wherein said cup receiver is carried by a slidable plate, the means for moving said plate and receiver with a filled cup at said metering device back to the start ing position beneath said cup magazine is comprised of a weight connected by rope means to said plate and which further includes a stationary resilient means cooperable with said plate to facilitate starting of the same on its return movement to the starting position.

28. An automatic drink vending machine comprising a housing containing an upright magazine for cups, a beverage container disposed laterally of said magazine, a metering device at the lower discharge end of said beverage container for discharging a measured quantity of the beverage, a cup receiver movable reciprocably between a starting position beneath said magazine so as to receive a cup therefrom and a cup filling position beneath the discharge point of said metering device, coin operated means for releasing a cup from said magazine, means including manually operable means for moving said cup receiver and empty cup therein against a restoring force from the starting to the filling position and for initiating operation of said metering device, delay means retaining said cup receiver in the cup filling position against said restoring force until said metering device shuts off, said casing including an aperture providing access to said cup receiver when in said starting position, a shutter normally closing said aperture, said shutter being openable by the user, a closure member coupled to said shutter and actuated by the latter into a position blocking off the cup discharge opening in said magazine when said shutter is opened, and a plate member movable with said cup receiver into a position closing off said aperture when said cup receiver is moved to the cup filling position and reopening the same when it returns to the starting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,654,004 Lind Dec. 27, 1927 1,882,812 Gunn Oct. 18, 1932 1,895,745 Asenbaum Jan. 31, 1933 2,174,539 Sutton Oct. 3, 1939 2,370,276 Warren Feb. 27, 1945 

